IOS Web Server Authentication

Cisco IOS has its own integrated web server and by best practice you would never want to allow anonymous access to your device’s flash memory. This lab will discuss and demonstrate the IOS web server authentication mechanism.

Real World Application

Configuring Cisco IOS Web Server (HTTP and HTTPS) authentication is a common configuration used in production networks to authenticate unique users on devices that use self-hosted management web interfaces such as Cisco routers running the Cisco Security Device Manager (SDM) web interface of the Cisco Catalyst Switches that host the Web Based Device Management interface.

Lab Prerequisites

If you are using GNS3 than load the Free CCNA Workbook GNS3 topology than start devices; R1.

Establish a console session with devices R1 than configure the devices respected hostname(s).

Step 3. – Configure the Cisco IOS Web Service to authenticate to the local user database as shown below;

R1(config)#ip http authentication local

Step 4. – Verify your configuration by connecting to the device’s FastEthernet0/0 IP Address via Internet Explorer or FireFox and using the credentials configured in the lab prerequisites section.

Read Me

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As shown in the image above you are prompted for a username and password. Provide the username and password you created in the prerequisite. Once authenticated successfully you will be presented with the following page;